van dorston



m e 8 h S w e e h S 5 N 0 T S R O D N A V W A H d 0 M 0 W GAR COUPLING.

N0. 328,547. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

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(TNo Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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GAR COUPLING.

No. 328,547. Patented 001;. 20, 1885.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A. W. VAN DORSTON.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 328.547. Patented 001;. 20, 1885.

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IN VEJV' TOR Wz mawza Attorney 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A. W. VAN DORSTON. GAR COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

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NTTED STATES PATENT Orricn.

ALVIN XV. VAN DORSTON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,547, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed September 21, 18*?5. Se1ialNo.177,655. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN W. VAN Don- STON, a citizen of the United $tates, residing at Portland, in the county of Mnltnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car- Couplers; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention,sucli as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to car-euplers, and more particularly to that class wherein the coupling is effected by the lateral movement of vertical hinged arms and interlocking jaws; and the object of my invention is to provide an automatic coupler combined with cushioned draw-head; and the novelty consists in the construction,combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicate the same parts of the invention.

Figurel is a top plan view of a pair of my improved couplers as they appear when in operation, the right hand one having the uncoupling-lever and cam removed and the left-hand one having the internal mechanism shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of my coupler. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4. is a side elevation, partly in section, of the drawheads as they appear when they are coupled on a vertical curve. Fig. 5 is a front or end elevation of the draw-head. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the draw-bar with the lateral arm and buffer-plates removed. Fig. 7 is a top plan view, partly in section, showing one form of buffing device. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of one of the buflingbraekets. Figs. 9 and 10 represents plan views of the interior construction of the two sections form ing the draw head and bar. Fig. 11 is ahorizontal section of the lateral arm and couplingjaws. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the buffer-head and its connections. Fig. 13 is aperspective view of one of the common drawbar plates. Fig. 14 is a similar view of one of the bracket-buffer blocks. Fig. 15 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the upper arm-plate, the lower one being of similar construction, except reversed in form to corre spond to its location. Fig.16 is a perspectiv view of the uncoupling-lever and its cam removedfromthedraw-head. Fig.17 is aperspective view of afreight-car with my coupling attached thereto, and showing the uncouplinglever projecting through the top of the drawhead, so as to be operated from the side or the top of the car to nncouple the same, and also showing in dotted lines the manner of uncoupling when the uncoupling-lever projects through the sides of the draw-head. Fig. 18 is a perspective View of one of my improved draw-plates. Fig. 19 is a vertical section of my coupler, showing the manner of placing the uncoupling lever and cam in the under side of the draw-head beneath the lockingbar, also showing the manner of protecting the buffer-springs to prevent their jamming or hammering; and Fig. 20 is a longitudinal section of my improved draw-plates provided with their rubber cushions.

A is the draw head and bar, and is preferably cast in two pieces, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, they being suitably riveted or bolted together, or the whole may be cast in one piece, if desired. The righthand side of the draw-head is provided with two annular bosses, f over which fits a removably-secured arm, 0*, provided with recesses f which fit the bosses f, and a lower arm, 0, is correspondingly secured to the under side of the drawhead in like manner, the two being secured in place by means of the bolts a and a". These arms are each provided with bosses f, between which is secured the hinged jaw Z, by means of the bolt a, so as to allow a lateral oscillating movement of the same.

From this construction it will be seen that should the jaw or the arms of the draw-head become damaged they may be readily replaced by new parts without interfering with the rest of the draw-head, whereas, if the arms 0 were cast solid, in the case of an accident the whole draw-head would have to be thrown away.

The jaw Z" is provided with an arm, (P, on the extreme end of which are two notches, e and e, which engage with the beveled ends as to retain the jaw in a locked position when i the cars are coupled. These levers 1, 2, and 3 are operated to release the jaw by means of cam c, secured to a shaft in the draw-head,

and provided with an arm, 0 by means of which the cam may be depressed to press the forward ends of the levers downward, so as to release the arm d thereby allowing the jaw Z to swing outward in the act of uncoupling the cars. This outward motion of the jaw is accomplished, when the levers aredepressed, by means of the pivoted rod S, having a spiral spring, S, said rod S working in a guidehole, r, and the spring ina recess just forward of and in line with said guide-hole. Itwill thus be seen that when the jaw is closed the spring is compressed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and when released by the levers 1-, 2, and 3 the spring and rod S and S force the jaw outward, as shown in Fig. 2. I have shown three locking bars, but of course a greater or less number may be used, if desired.

When the cars are coupled, the end of the arm 01 comes in contact with a rubber block, W, and in the act of uncoupling with a similar rubber block, 1", located in a recess in the opposite side of the draw -head, which latter block serves as a rest for the end of the arm when the parts are in position for coupling, and when coupled the rubber block 1', which is provided with a face-plate, r, in contact with lever 1, acts as a cushion or buffer for the end of the arm (1 when the cars are in motion. It will thus be seen that the forward strain on the jaw Z is taken up by the rubber block 1", and the backing or backward strain by the rubber block 0*.

The arm (1 is provided with a guard, (1 against which the jaw of the opposite drawhead, in the act of coupling, presses to throw its jaw at a right angle to the draw-head, thereby forcing the notches e and 6 past the beveled ends of the locking-levers to retain the parts in a locked position. It will thus be seen that should the cars be coupled on a curve of such a nature as not to allow the drawheads to come squarely together to allow all the levers to lock, the first or second lever will engage,and when the cars come on the straight in a'zk the ordinary concussion of the cars will force the arm past the ends of the remaining ltvers to lock them.

If only one locking-lever were used, unless the draw-heads came squarely together, in many instances they would fail to couple; but by using a series the first one looks the jaw before the draw-heads are squarely together, and thr s obviates all danger of failing to connect.

The rear ends of the levers 1, 2, and 3 are heavier than their forward ends, so that in the act of-coupling the forward ends are pressed down by the notched end of the arm (Z and as soon as that passes them they are restored by gravity to their normal position, thus rigidly locking the arm d 'and jaw Z in a closed position. \Vhen, however, the cam cis thrown down and left so, the levers are secured with their beveled ends below the line of travel of the arm (1", and consequently it is left free to swing back and forth, whereby cars may be backed about to make up trains, or for other purposes, without the draw-heads couplin the cam and levers being shown in this position in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The unlocking-lever 0 and its cam c are preferably arranged in the top of the drawhead, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4c, and 17; but it .may be located underneath the locking-lever, as shown in Fig. 19, as in this modification the locking lever is raised by the action of the cam, and when released falls by gravity, the same as in the first instance.

- The arm a of the draw-head is provided with an upper and lower plate, 1, between which slides a buffer, a which is provided with rubber cushion-blocks a a. This buffer a is provided with a T-shaped slot,.l, which engages with lateral bosses on a plate, a, which comes in contact with the rubber block a in a recess in the arm a. The plates Z l are provided with tongues, which fit in corresponding recesses in the top and bottom ends of the buffer a. This construction, in connection with the rubber blocks a a a, allows a free longitudinal motion of said buffer aflwithout permitting any lateral motion, the plate a being secured in the recess above mentioned by means of the rivets Z From this construction it will be seen that any of these parts can readily bereplaced in case of accident.

Pivoted in the top of the jaw Z, by means of the lugs (1* and (Z is a swinging face-plate, c, which forms a continuous wearing-surface for the faces of the jaw Z. This face-plate is held in place by means of the plate d.

When two of my improved couplers are used together,the coupling-pin Z passes through the hole 1" in the jaw Z", and then through the hole l in the'lower end of the swinging face-plate 0*. This serves to lock the plate in position when it is used as a wearing-surface for the jaw, and it will be observed that the wear and tear which would otherwise be upon the jaw is taken up by this face-plate, and consequently when worn out it can be replaced by a new one without interfering with the jaw. It will also be observed that this face-plate 0 extends over the slot in the face of the jaw through which the link enters, thus making a full surface to the face of the jaw, and completely covers said slot.

Secured to the inner side of the face-plate c is a pivoted pawl, f, having a limited motion parallel with said face-plate, so that when the latter is in a vertical position and the pin Z is raised the pawl f falls a short distance outward, so that the end of the pin rests upon it, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. While in this position the link from the opposite car I enters the slot in the jaw, strikes the pawl f ICC of the face-plate o forcing both backward, so that the coupling-pin, being deprived of its support, falls through the opening in the link and couples the cars.

In the rear end of the draw-bar is secured a draw-bolt, Z, by means of a key, a. A pair of draw-plates, 1", are secured to the draw-bar on either side of the buffer spring 13, their eX- treme ends extending into the brackets a", secured to the car-timbers on each side of the draw-bar. Between the ends of the drawplates o and the ends of the brackets a is alternately arranged a series of rubber blocks, a, and metallic plates 6, the whole series on each side being held in place by means of the rod 1- passing through the bracket from end to end.

Referring to Fig. 19, it will be seen that the draw-plates r are provided with inwardlyprojeeting annular flanges a,which partially incase the ends of the buffer-springs I3, so that when the springs are compressed the annular flange on one draw-plate will come in contact with the corresponding flange on the opposite plate before the spring is entirely compressed. This prevents the coils of the springs from striking and destroying their tension.

Referring to Fig. 20, e is a circular eupshaped washer secured upon the draw-bolt on outer side of each of the draw-plates, and 'between each washer and its respective drawplate is interposed a rubber block, e which forms a cushion for the draw-plates T, when the flanges a" thereon come in contact with each other. WVhen the ears are in motion the strain upon the draw-plates when abutting is taken up by the rubber blocks 6 and the strain upon the draw-bar proper between the drawplates and the brackets is taken up by the series of rubber blocks 6.

Havingthus fully explained my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. In an automatic car-coupler, the combination, with a pivoted jaw and arm, of a series of locking-levers, whereby said jaw and arm will be locked in a closed position by said levers, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic car-coupler, the combination, with a pivoted jaw and arm, of a series of independently-pivoted lockinglevers, whereby said pivoted arm and jaw will engage with one or more of said independentlypivoted locking-levers to retain the jaw in a closed position, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the pivoted jaw and arm and locking-levers, of means, substantially as described, for simultaneously operating said levers to release the jaw and said arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the pivoted arm and jaw and locking-levers, of the spring S and pivoted rod S, whereby said jaw will be thrown open by said spring when the arm is released by the locking-levers, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the pivoted arm and jaw and the locking-levers, of the plate r and rubber block 0-, and the rubber blocks r and r, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination,with the draw-head A, of the pivoted arm Z, reinovably pivoted therein by means of the upper and lower plates, 0, detachably secured to said draw-head, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the jaw Z", of the swinging face-plate c pivoted in the upper end of said jaw, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with the jaw Z and coupling-pin 7 of the swinging faceplate 0 provided with the hinged pawl f, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with the draw-head, of

the arm a, provided with upper and lower plates, Z, and the plate 1*, provided with lateral teats, and the buffer a, having T-snaped slot Z, rubber cushions a and the rubber block a, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with the draw bar having draw-bolt Z and spring B,of the drawplates 1', rubber blocks 6, and plates 0, said blocks and plates being secured in the bracket a by means of the rod W, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination, with the drawbar having draw-bolt Z and spring B,of the drawplates 1-, provided with annular flange a, and the cup-shaped washers e provided with rub,- ber blocks 0 as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesscs.

ALVIN IV. VAN DORSTON.

\Vitnesses:

A. E. CAMPBELL, It. F. STRAUS. 

